Curator

Artishok Biennale is an experimental exhibition format that was brought to life in 2008 in Tallinn, initiated by a vacuum in the noughties art criticism. 10 cutting edge young artists, 10 cutting edge young critics, and 10 intense exhibition days with a new show presenting one work of art and ten reviews opening up each morning. The aim was to create a kind of simulacra of an ideal art world in which all its components would be presented at its best: bravehearted artists diving into the waves of criticism, critics with variety of taste preferences and world views and – last but not least – an audience ready for a challenging exhibition experience. X x X x X.

By the time Artishok Biennale takes place for the third time its original mission is still valid. The reappearing myth about contemporary art made for the inner circle bearing art history specialist in mind as its model viewer can only be busted by a generation of bold and idiosyncratic writers who feel at home within the ever changing landscape of contemporary art. III Artishok Biennale will therefore continue the perfection of this beautiful and peculiar structure according to the original genetic code: when the year 2010 added X popular artist talks to the biennale – which resulted in AB² or X x X x X x X – then 2012 will add X biennale nominations in Artishok – AB³ or X x X x X x X x X.

Ten artists chosen by the will of ten critics in the spring are in front of you now in the autumn, opening day by day, micro exhibition by micro exhibition the biennale exposition on the three floors of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Estonia, accompanied by a hundred art critical texts in Estonian and English. III Artishok Biennale lacks one curator, one artistic director and the central questions to be asked could be instead: How to curate pluralism? How to cross-breed art and democracy? How to serve aesthetics and politics concurrently?

While the first two biennales took place in city galleries, white cubes with symmetrical ground plans and smooth interiors, then this time we will occupy Contemporary Museum of Contemporary Art of Estonia, which is essentially a squat, dysfunctional exhibition space with a challenging interior, but also a new museum ready for experiments and seeking new ways of institutionalizing.